The original title at stoneupdate.com:China 301 Tariffs to Continue
Ali quartz notice – The majority of imports from China, including almost all hard surfaces, will continue to be subject to a 25% duty.
As part of a four-year assessment required by federal law, the office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) declared on September 2 that the tariffs, which were implemented in 2018, are still in effect.
More than 6,000 import product categories are listed on the list of items subject to the ad valorem taxes, which were implemented under the Trump administration. This list includes practically all dimensions natural stone, quartz-surface slabs, and some ceramic tiles.
356 requests for the continuation of the tariffs from American producers and 76 requests from American trade associations were submitted to the USTR. Federal legislation stipulates that only one representative from a U.S. industry is required to file with the USTR in order for the tariff to be maintained. Section 301 duties automatically expire after four years unless U.S. producers complain.
The Section 301 tariffs were implemented by the Trump administration as part of its plan to compel China to sign a brand-new, all-encompassing trade agreement. The USTR’s move this month indicates that the Biden administration will not alter this stance.
There will be a continuation of the review process, including a procedure for submitting comments, according to a notification from the USTR that was published in the Federal Register on September 8. The warning, however, didn’t provide any precise dates for the further actions.
However, a federal court is hearing a lawsuit challenging the Section 301 tariffs on Chinese goods. The US Court of International Appeals is debating more than 3,600 lawsuits, including at least 30 from importers of hard surfaces from the US. According to the cases, the USTR did not adhere to accepted procedures when establishing the levies and that the increase of Section 301 tariffs to cover such a broad range of commodities is unlawful.
The unfair-trade tariffs imposed by the United States on Chinese quartz surfaces and ceramic items are in addition to the Section 301 tariffs.
The unfair trade tariffs imposed by the US International Trade Commission on Chinese quartz surfaces and ceramic items are in addition to the Section 301 tariffs. There is no impact of any USTR action on such tariffs.